"Thou wilt forgive me my love? Forgive what stands as high above thee
as the sun above the creeping worm? Should I be worthy to look upon his
face if I could become thy wife? Away! begone!"

"Ha!" cried Jochem, "too much! too much! My wife! Never shalt thou be
my wife; but thou shalt struggle in my arms, and I will tear the
Christian out of thy bleeding heart as it withers in despair! Thou
shalt see me again!"

And he left the room, and soon disappeared from the precincts of the
city.

Miriam, oppressed by anxious thoughts, hurried into the open air. She
felt that she must pray; but not in the close synagogue. She would pray
for _him_, and she would pray to _his_ God. She shyly ventured into the
neighbouring Basilica of St. Maria, whence, in peaceful times, the
Jewess had often been driven with curses.

But now the Christians had no time to curse.

She crouched in a dark corner of the chancel, and soon forgot herself,
the city, and the world, in fervent prayer.

She was alone with _him_ and with God.

Meanwhile, the last hour of the armistice was drawing to a close. The
sun already declined to the surface of the sea.

The Goths repaired and filled up the breaches of the walls with all
diligence, carried away the rubbish and the dead, and extinguished the
fires.

For the third time the sands of the hour-glass ran out, while
Belisarius, in front of his tent and surrounded by his generals, was
awaiting the signal of capitulation from the Castle of Tiberius.

"I don't believe in it," whispered Johannes to Procopius. "He who gives
such blows as I have seen given by that old man will never surrender.
And it is better so; then there will be a famous storming, and
afterwards a famous plundering."

Earl Uliaris now appeared upon the ramparts of the castle, and hurled
his spear defiantly among the waiting sentries.

Belisarius sprang up.

"The fools desire their own destruction! Well, they shall be gratified.
Up, generals! to the attack! Whoever is the first to plant our standard
on the walls shall have a tenth part of the booty!"

The leaders hurried away on all sides, spurred by avarice and ambition.

Johannes was just turning the ruined arch of an aqueduct, which
Belisarius had destroyed in order to deprive the besieged of water,
when he heard a low voice calling his name.

It was already so dark that he with difficulty recognised the man who
had spoken.

"What do you want, Jew!" asked Johannes. "I ha